LAHORE:The Punjab Horticulture Authority (PHA) has expanded the use of digital office automation system — introduced by the Punjab government last summer — to include routine correspondence, DG Raja Mansoor Ahmad announced Tuesday.
In a communique addressed to directorate heads, Mansoor said that all files and cases shall be initiated, processed, examined, and approved through the E-Filing and Office Automation System (e-FOAS). The e-FOAS is already active across the umbrella organisation of district horticultural agencies, which use it for official business.
The letter was issued in response to the direction of the Chief Secretary Zahid Akhtar Zaman, who stressed the need to eliminate paperwork and increase administrative efficiency.PHA DG said the digital system will standardise transparency, reduce delays, and accelerate the resolution of public grievances. The PHA has already digitised the process of outdoor commercial advertisements to improve ease of doing business.
He said that in the first phase, applications related to three services — registration of firms, NOCs for commercial installations such as billboards, and temporary campaign permissions — have been moved to e-Biz, an online portal.
